The Uncertainties Within
by Maelynne Naveen
Summary: After getting wind of a mysterious rumor, Haruhi is off to investigate - but not alone, of course. Why is it she's the only one who doesn't see what a bad idea this is? Haruhi x Kyon Oneshot.


_A little suggestive but I think I haven't strayed past the outer bounds of a T rating._

_Once again, I do not own Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu_

* * *

**The Uncertainties Within**

o.O.o.O.o.O.o

This was not happening.

We absolutely were not down here, alone, in the middle of the night.

However, my attempts at convincing my mind of this were quite abruptly thrown out the window as she rubbed up against me again. I bit down on my lip. Hard.

Maybe I should back up.

The day began as normal as any other for me these days. After trudging up the hill while still half asleep I made it to my first period seat and managed to listen to Haruhi with half an ear, though I don't think she even noticed my inattention. She was in an especially enthusiastic mood. School really should start late on Mondays. It would be nice to have a chance to recover from the weekend.

Right before class started I heard her say something about meeting in the club room to discuss plans. Nothing inherently unusual about that so I didn't give it another thought.

Big mistake.

Truthfully, by the time I reached the club room that afternoon I had pretty much forgotten her earlier words. Though I will admit, the sight I walked in to had me slightly unnerved. Call me overly-cautious, but the fact that Haruhi stood at the front of the room despite the fact that we were the only two members present was more than a little strange.

Maybe everyone else just wasn't here yet. I slouched down into the nearest seat and offered a greeting, "Hey."

She folded her arms as if I was offending her with my lack of enthusiasm. "You should demonstrate a better sense of purpose! After all, we have an important mission!"

As if that was anything new. "Great, shouldn't we wait for everyone else?

She waved a hand dismissively. "Nope, this is Ultra Top Secret!"

_That so?_

She nodded, "I heard that when they were first building this school there was a teenage girl that ran away from home. They say she fell through some of the unfinished construction and was trapped. Some have even claimed to have seen a figure wandering the grounds at night. It is absolutely our sworn duty as the SOS Brigade to investigate and discover any and all mysterious occurrences!"

_What is this 'duty' that I allegedly swore to? And why is it always ours? Isn't it ever someone else's turn?_

She plowed on, "Just picture how surprised the rest of the brigade will be when we show them!"

_Or how surprised __I'll__ be if we actually find anything?_

"So, we'll meet at the bottom of the hill at 9:00." She poked me in the chest as though that would better convince me to show up.

_What!? We can't just wander around school after dark _

I didn't have a chance to respond as the door handle rattled and Haruhi sent me a glare that clearly meant 'it doesn't matter what I think and to keep my mouth shut in front of the others.'

I sighed. Maybe I can talk her out of it tonight. Great, now I'm delusional.

o.O.o.O.o

I considered arriving an hour early to avoid any penalties but in the end I decided that hanging around school aimlessly after dark would be even more suspicious. I still got there 15 minutes before 9:00.

For a brief, deluded moment I actually thought I might have arrived first. Until I noticed the slim, black-clad figure over by the trees.

_Alright, let's get this over with._

Never one to do anything half-assed, she was, of course, dressed from head to toe in black. I was glad I had at least put on jeans and a dark sweatshirt.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and trudged over. How fitting - we even looked like criminals.

She glared at me as I approached. "Late!" she hissed.

There was no point trying to explain that it was 8:49. Haruhi-time simply operates differently than normal time.

With a huff she spun around and started marching up the hill. For a split second my inner pervert admired how she looked in those tight black pants. And then I punched my inner pervert and jogged after her.

From her left hand dangled a chain with a silvery item that suspiciously resembled a key. _Do I even want to know where you got that, missy?_

"As brigade leader it's important to have after-hours access to all areas."

_Isn't that something a burglar would say?_

Moving in quick strides, she headed directly for the main entrance; my brief panic that she was going to simply waltz through the front doors quelled as she circled around to the back. We passed two of the smaller back doors, the light quickly fading as we strayed farther from the main building.

I was beginning to wonder if she even knew what the key went to or if this was all a blind errand when she stopped suddenly in front of a nondescript shrub.

"Aha!"

_What 'aha'? It's just an average low-maintenance bush. They're all over the school grounds._ I glanced past the foliage she had pushed aside. _Oh, __that__ aha._

Thrilled with her "discovery" she immediately tried the key, which finally clicked after no small amount of effort – mostly on my part. The half-rotted wood that covered the opening creaked open, reluctantly granting us entrance. I followed her down the stairs into the darkness.

"I'm pretty sure this is just a storm cellar…"

"Well sure – maybe to the casual onlooker! That's why we're here – to discover the mysteries hidden within!"

I'd hardly consider rats and mold to be groundbreaking discoveries but kept that thought to myself. Though it probably wouldn't have mattered as she was already in a world of her own, shining the tiny flashlight in every pitch-black corner. Hoping she would eventually tire out and lose interest, I wandered around, trying to look like I was searching for… something.

I passed some rotten boxes and dodged low-hanging spiderwebs. Hidden secrets? Seriously, it looks like nobody's been down here in 20 years. Are we done here yet?

I have no doubt it was entirely due to Haruhi's presence that as I passed my flashlight half-heartedly over the rotting walls, I noticed a faint indent in the texture. Really, Haruhi? Secret passages? No choice really, "Hey…"

She swung around, aiming the flashlight in my face as if this were an interrogation and I cringed. "What? Did you find something!?" She hurried over, "This had better not be a false alarm!"

_Does that really sound like something I'd do?_

Already engrossed, she ran her hands around the edges of the slight indentation, stopping occasionally to knock and tap on the wood. Pausing for a moment, she tapped a finger thoughtfully on her bottom lip. With surprising strength she rammed her shoulder into the wall. In a shower of dust, debris and who knows what else, a portion of the wall yielded inward with a loud creak.

Calculating eyes fell upon me. There's no way this is going to be good for me.

"Alright Kyon, your job is to scout ahead and ensure the safety of your brigade leader!"

_So basically I'm the guinea pig. _She failed to look even the slightest bit ashamed. Unbelievable.

_At least come get me if it sounds like I'm getting murdered._

I nudged a rock into the door so it wouldn't close behind me and ventured into the blackness. Well, I certainly didn't see anything that appeared broken or even slightly suspicious. There was some sort of enormous metal enclosure to my left, leaving barely enough room to fit down the narrow passage. After maybe 5 or 6 yards I hit a dead-end, where the wall curved and connected to the metal wall. I turned, intending to yell back to Haruhi that it wasn't anything when I felt a presence behind me. Not entirely certain what she had conjured up this time, I turned slowly --

"Well, did you find anything!?"

I was momentarily stunned as she squeezed by me, apparently comfortable enough to explore now that she had assurance that her test subject had survived. My attention snapped back into focus as my stomach suddenly lurched, "Haruhi, you didn't move the rock did you?"

"Rock!? What are you talking about!?"

As if in slow motion I turned, making a desperate attempt to make it in time before –

Silence.

I shined the flashlight on the dusty floor, clearly showing the rock still propped happily in its place between the door and frame.

She smirked at me, obviously pleased with her little joke. "Of course I left it there - what, did you think this was some kind of shojou manga? Or maybe you were just hoping?"

_Who on earth would wish for that?_

Frowning, she gave me a look that left no doubt I simply didn't have a proper sense of humor. "Whatever. Now, are you sure there isn't anything mysterious back here!?"

_Pretty sure that an empty hallway is empty, but please, feel free to make your own inspection._

Coming up every bit as empty handed as I had, she made an irritated little noise and moved to return to the entrance.

I tried to flatten against the wall as much as possible, but there just wasn't that much room between the metal enclosure and the wall. I'd been so concerned with the possibility of being closed in here that I hadn't really noticed the first time she passed by me. This time it was safe to say I noticed. I distinctly felt her thighs brush against mine, warmth lingering where friction spread between the rough fabric of my jeans and her soft pants. And as if that wasn't enough, there was even less room between us up top – for certain reasons I won't mention. Time slowed to an agonizing crawl as her… well, curves, pressed and slid across my chest.

For some reason I suddenly noticed she smelled like orange blossoms. I clenched my hand around the cold metal of the flashlight and willed my traitorous mind to think about horrible, non-sexual things: cold showers, the flu, Koizumi, final exams. My breathing successfully slowed I glanced over at her. Apparently oblivious to the entire incident she hurried over to inspect the entrance while I stood there feeling somewhat violated but not entirely upset.

So that's basically it. How we ended up in a strange old cellar in the middle of the night. On school grounds, no less. With her pressing herself against me completely unabashedly with every pass. I'll admit, I'm less surprised at the situation than I would have been even a year ago. I suppose that says something about where my life has gone, but I'd rather not think about it.

And now she was on her hands and knees, poking her flashlight into a dark corner.

_Best of luck._

Straightening up, she dusted herself off with an aggrieved mutter. "There's nothing even slightly mysterious here!"

_Don't sound so surprised – it's just a school storm cellar._

With an exaggerated sigh, she stalked over and jabbed the flashlight into my chest, eyes narrowed at me dangerously, "It's probably because ghosts aren't going to show themselves with non-believers around!"

_Once again, I'm to blame for something entirely ridiculous and out of my control._

"Everyone knows that visitors from the other realm are extremely wary and won't show themselves if they feel threatened!"

_Everyone knows this? _

She flung her hands out in exasperation, "Of course, it's obvious!"

Sometime during her rant the handheld flashlight she was waiving around had flickered and then dimmed, leaving mine the only source of light. She shook the device, and when that failed, proceeded to slap it against her hand futilely.

Out of nowhere I got a cold chill that ran all the way from my feet up to my neck. Just at the edge of my vision I saw something flicker. Reluctantly I raised my eyes to the ceiling, knowing I didn't want to see what had become reality.

Of course, thinking that I would see something not part of this world and actually witnessing a translucent young woman floating in midair were completely different matters. With one glance at the side of its head - bloody and crushed – and the pure hatred emanating from black eyes, my heart jump-started into overdrive. Too stunned to even yell, I stood frozen in place – until the specter raised a large wooden beam, covered in a black substance I didn't care to identify – and swung it down in a deadly arc at Haruhi's head.

Acting purely on instinct and adrenaline, I yelled at her to look out, which in hindsight made no sense since I was already in the process of tackling her. As we were falling I glanced up, flinching as the potentially deadly weapon whizzed by my face. The beam completed its intended route, passing through what was now empty air and instead exploded into a hazy blue mist of particles and disappeared. With one last chilling glare, the translucent woman similarly faded away.

Looking at me as though I'd lost my mind, which in of itself is actually quite ironic, Haruhi stared up at me. She pushed at my chest, probably in an attempt to breathe as I was still sprawled out over her, "Is this your idea of a joke, Kyon!? Because I can see as well as you that there's nothing there!"

I stared down at her, my brain simply refusing to function. I still had an arm under her, where I had done my best to catch her from the fall _I_ had caused. Her eyes had a wary glint to them as I remained unmoving over her.

My first instinct was to run away – lest I incur the wrath of Haruhi. But she had suddenly, inexplicably grown quiet. I suppose there's a first time for everything, right? Feeling almost ashamed for how long I'd lingered, I shifted to stand up.

The sight of her biting her lip made me pause and all at once things seemed to fall into place: late night escapades, dark spaces, conveniently appearing apparitions, why it was so important to leave out the other members….

_So that's how it is, eh Missy?_

Consciously or not, she had obviously orchestrated this entire event. And although I have never liked the idea of being manipulated or directed, she does always say that we're supposed to follow the brigade leader's directives.

Putting aside for a moment that I've never paid attention to that mandate before – she still needs to recognize the consequences of her little whims – even subconscious ones she may not fully recognize.

So instead of getting up, I leaned my head in closer, ignoring her ever-widening eyes.

I paused a breath away – to see if she would pull away, yell, or simply deliver the most horrific penalty this side of the western hemisphere. And then it was too late as I had already fallen into the trap that was Haruhi's eyes. And then I kissed her.

She seemed to hesitate only for the scarcest moment before titling her mouth more effectively against mine, her slim fingers grasping my upper arm for support.

But as quickly as it had happened it was over, and she broke away, lips parted, eyes cagey and unreadable. "What do you think you're doing?"

I blinked, trying to clear my head. "Me? What about this whole scenario with the nighttime escapades and leaving the rest of the brigade out?"

"Hey, I just wanted to ghost hunt, and you can't exactly do that during the day!"

_She had a point there, I suppose._

"And bringing five people is way more suspicious than just two!"

_And I'm an idiot._

I suddenly felt inexplicably foolish and prayed to whatever gods might be listening that I wasn't blushing. I shifted to stand up, but was abruptly stopped by her hand on my arm.

She wouldn't look at me for a moment, intently focused on a cobweb on the opposite wall. Then she swung her head back around with a flip of dark hair, "I guess it's not that crazy of a conclusion – besides, guys are like that."

_I don't even know what that's supposed to mean. If anything, you're the one who -_

"And… I guess I might have thought it would be a little romantic…" she flushed, once again averting her eyes. "But don't get any weird ideas!"

My arm around her tightened its hold and I could feel the warmth of her body heat through our clothing. She was still frowning at me, as if daring me to make a snide comment about her little plot or the fact that the Great Haruhi Suzumiya had momentarily fallen into a girlish fantasy.

_I certainly hope I know better than to voice any such comments aloud._

Somewhat mollified, the frown eased slightly and she moved in ever so slightly. And of course, immediately backed away again, looking flushed and annoyed.

_Do you really have to be so difficult?_

In response, she pulled on my collar, effectively meshing her mouth against mine. I felt her lips part ever so slightly – which my hormone clouded brain immediately interpreted as an invitation. I tapped my tongue against hers, receiving a corresponding slide of tongue in response. Of course, I had only known in theory how all this was supposed to work, and couldn't help but be gratified at our tentative success. We hadn't gotten to the tongue part last time - being swept back to bed after only a few seconds had passed - but it really was incredible. Our mouths pressed together forcefully, she had full access and swirled her tongue around mine before pulling it into her mouth and suckling gently. I tried not to groan. It didn't work. The way she was nipping and sucking was sending all kinds of signals to other areas of my body.

I felt her nails at the back of my neck, working their way into my hair. There was just a bit of skin where her shirt had bunched up, but it was more than enough for my greedy fingers to seek out, roaming the soft skin of her back. I could feel her breath against my face. It seemed faster than it was before. Had mine done that too? I couldn't tell.

Slowly breaking off the kiss, I tasted the skin at her neck, sucking lightly, fighting against the strangest urge to leave a mark on her. Some sort of primitive instinct, I suppose. Besides, I'm sure there wasn't any need – I doubted there would be any competition, even if I did want to make her 'mine' – of which I wasn't even sure. I don't think she even knows at this point. What in the world am I even thinking? I moved my mouth back up to hers; safer territory? Debatable, I'm sure.

There was a brief tussle as she attempted to pull me over and reverse our positions, which I resisted. I couldn't help it - I suddenly felt extremely opposed to being dominated the first time I went this far with a girl. I tried to meet her halfway, with her on my lap, my back up against the wall, and her legs fitted snugly over mine. Her tongue explored my mouth, probing eagerly, seeming to enjoy her new position. I grasped her hips firmly, pulling her against me, making sure she knew I wasn't giving in completely to her attempts at dominance. She made a slightly irritated noise but didn't remove her tongue from my mouth or my hands from her hips which were gradually sliding lower.

As I worked my hands back under her shirt, I felt her shift against me restlessly, making me distinctly aware of just how precariously our bodies were positioned. It apparently didn't bother her, as her hands grasped my shoulders, giving her better leverage to grind into me. I groaned, pulling her even closer. She seemed intent on upping the game, which was wreaking havoc on my attempts to maintain control of the situation. My fingers brushed over her back, slowing as they made contact with the back of her bra. I followed the silky fabric around around her ribs, to the front, daring to brush my thumbs over the underside of her breasts. She gasped against my mouth, her own hands pulling my T-shirt un-tucked from my jeans, soft fingers tracing patters on my chest and stomach.

Somewhere in the distance I heard a noise. Although it barely registered in my brain, it had obviously startled Haruhi, who jolted and slid slightly off my lap. Her eyes darted around, trying to find the source of the sound.

I did my best to slow my breathing before querying, "You hear something?"

Hesitating a moment, a light blush colored her features before she snapped back, "I can't tell what it is – it's too far away!"

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP

What the!? It sounded like someone was coming down the stairway we had ventured down not so long ago. But who would be out here at this time of night? If it was a school official we were definitely dead meat. At least we'd both get kicked out together – somehow that just isn't terribly comforting. I doubted my parents would think so either.

The person was definitely heading our way; the footsteps growing louder with every moment. On the other side of the door someone gave a hefty push and shoved the door open wide enough to squeeze through. The movement shook the ceiling, dust and debris scattering all around.

Managing to still appear pompous, even when pulling cobwebs from his hair, Koizumi turned and dusted himself off.

I glanced at Haruhi, whose hair was a mess and I think I might have left a pink spot on her neck by accident. Okay, well, maybe he won't notice.

Right.

He had the gall to look apologetic. "My, my, I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

I should kick him right in the –

"But Asahina-san and Nagato-san insisted I come find you here. They insisted you were in harm's way, but firmly refused to come themselves."

I sighed, it seemed I was more and more frequently in harm's way these days. I was seriously beginning to consider taking out a life insurance policy.

Haruhi interrupted my thoughts with a brisk nod at Koizumi, "Well, it's true that had we encountered any suspicious occurrences there might have been danger – your excellent service to the SOS Brigade is duly noted!"

_Well go ahead and salute him while you're at it._

He held the door open, waving his arm in a ridiculously formal manner to allow Haruhi through. I followed suit. Why do I almost feel I've been caught by my parents or something? Even the thought is completely ridiculous – we're the same age!

He just acts 40.

I walked next to Haruhi, somewhat unsure of how to proceed.

She leaned over, "And don't think I'm going to start making a habit of that," she hissed in what I'm sure was an attempt to keep her voice down. The normally composed Kozumi tripped, managing to recover with only a brief backwards glance. I deadpanned; there's no way I was going to tell him anything - just let him wonder.

I slowed my steps, letting us fall slightly behind. "Well that's fine, just so long as you make sure I'm around next time you get the urge to 'ghost hunt'…"

_Or Asahina-san – if you took her along things might be __really__ interesting –_

Ow. She had slugged me in the arm, none too gently.

"What was that for?"

She narrowed her eyes at me.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and put on my most neutral expression, suggesting I had no idea what she was referring to. I knew it would drive her crazy. Boldly I met her stare and held it for a good ten seconds before raising my eyebrows ever so slightly as I turned away.

I kept walking – now alone – as she stood rooted to the spot.

She muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'nothing but trouble' which I pretended not to hear – despite the fact that I wholeheartedly agreed – as she finally ran to catch up.

* * *

The next day Koizumi pulled me aside during lunch break. Acting more suspicious than usual, he slipped something small into my hand.

"Asahina-san and Nagato-san requested I give this to you. Something about the fate of the universe resting in it... I'll admit I don't exactly understand – they are the experts on future occurrences after all." With an obnoxious smirk that meant he obviously knew more than he was letting on, he waved and left.

I stood there bemused – what in the world could have such vital importance to the fate of the universe?

Slowly I opened my hand.

And nearly fell over at the sight of one foil-wrapped latex condom.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o


End file.
